Machine for finishing tubular printing plates



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Original Filed June 22, 1921 MACHINE FOR FINISHING TUBULAR PRINTING PLATES NOV- 8 I927. H. A. w. WOOD 'MAGHINE- FOR FINISHING TUBULAB PRIMINGPLK'RES Original Filed Jun 22. 1921 JAWEWZ 35% his Nov. 8, 1927.

v H. A. W. WOOD MACHINE FOR FINISHING TUBULAR PRINTING PLATES Original Filed June 22, 1921 s Sheets-Sheet s NiWQ v2., 1927.

H. A. W. WOOD MACHINE FOR FINISHING TUBULAR PRINTING PLATES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed June 22. 1921 I ILLS a/btoz'ne IA, 63 700i '3 i Nvl 8, 1927.

. H. A. W. WOOD 'MACHINE FOR FINISHING TUBULAR PRINTING PLATES Original Filed June 22, 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 5 e i l K v. Q -11 & i o I q II I HHHHHH" g n \h Q N to r. V v 0 f Kg Q Q Q \l ""N N awven-toz I m r 77* \g *1 his Cl-bto-umu s aaZ.

' to provide a machine for Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED are ASSIGI' IOR T01 WOOD NIBliVSlPAIE1i!B MA- Y A. CQRPORATION F VIRGINIA.

MACHINE FOR FINISHING TUBULAR PRINTING rna'rns;

Application filed June 22, 1921, Serial This invention relates to a machine for finishing the so-called tubular printing plate which is a plate consisting of a nearly com- .plete tube or cylinder vwith a longitudinal slit, usually from end to end. This machine is particularly adapted for finishing the plates produced in accordance with my application for patent on a machine and plant for casting and cooling tubular stereotype printing plates, Serial'No. 462,733, filed April 19, 1921 but it is capable of use for finishing of other plates of a general similar form. i

Theprincipal objects of the invention are finishing plates of this general character; to provide means whereby the whole operation of finishing can be controlled by two hand levers and all the operations will be stopped automatically at the proper time, certain. mechanisms being automatically unlocked for that purpose; to provide improved automatic ronnections for this purpose and generally to provide a machine of this character which will comprise relatively few parts.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in'which Y Fig. 1 is a longitudinal horizontalcentral sectional view of a finishing machine constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional elevation through the center .of the drive shaft showing the connections for operat ing it;

Fig. 8 is a perspective viewshowing the manner of placing the printing plate in position and locating it; I

Fig. o l is a transverse sectional view on the line &4: of Fig. .1; i

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig.1;

Fig. 6 is an' outside elevation of the saw drive operating levers and connections;

Fig. 7 is a plan of the same; 1

i Fig. 8 is an elevation similar to Fig. 6 showing the clutch operation for the saw drive and the shaver drive; I

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig.8, and v v Fig. 10 is a section on the line 1010 of Fig. 8.

l have shown the invention as comprising a frame preferably in the form of an cnclcsed casing 10 in which practically all the mechanism is located. At one end of no. Manse. R newedrena e .1926.

this'frame is a. tubular sooketgor plate support 11 constituting a part of the frame. In the bottom this is provided with longitudinal ways in which'islocated a slide '12 having a stop 13 on'one endin the form ofa pair of projections. This slide has a bracket 14 connected bya link is adapted to be operated by hand to move the slide back and forth. .When the slide is moved back to the position shown in Fig. 2, the printing plate P, with its slit located along the'bottom edgais moved in by hand v or otherwise over the slide 12, which at 15 with a lever 16 which i that time is stationary" and constitutes a guide "for it. The plate is moved in until its rear end engages the stop 13 which properly positions the plate in'the machine."-

' Themechanism for operating on the plate is located'inside the plate at this point and the driving mechanism in the casing beyondit. After the tail is cut off and the plate shaved and trimmed'in this position, the handle 16 is manipulated to move the slide 12 outwardly tothe left in Figs. 1, 2 V

and 3 and the plate thus ejected far enough so that it will be left on the shaving bar 18 from which it can be removed by hand over the bracket 19. r

The machine is provided withya power shaft 20 which receives power from any desired source through a sprocket chain 21 or the like. This shaft is provided with two clutches '22 and'23. The clutch 23 is adapted to connect the shaft 20 with a bevel gear 2 1 otherwise loose thereon. This gear meshes with a bevel gear 25 on a shaft 26 located-transversely across the rear end, of the machine. 27 which drivesa'worm gear 28. This worm gear is located on the main shaft 30 of the machine. one at the rear end of the casing, and the other mounted on the projecting bracket 19 at. the front end. i j v This shaft is providedwith a shavingbar 18, above specified, which has two trans verse ends 31 integrally connected with it and the shaft. The'shaving bar receives the plate on it when the plate is inserted, then rotates a complete revolution, and leaves the plate in position to be removed as stated above. Further features of the shafts themselves will be described below, but it is suflicient to indicate that the shaving bar 18 is provided with the shaving :blade 82 which On this shaft there is a worm I This shaft is located in bearings,

has an edge trimming projection 33 thereon.

This shaving bar 18 rotates with its cutters 32 and 33 and the plate is held stationary in the support 11 by the guide 12.

Referring now back to the worm 'gear28 v by which the shaft is driven slowly, it is to be seen that this is recessed on one'side hand providedwith a cam track 34, which is circular but has an outwardly extending offset or pocket 35. .Running on this cam is a roller 36'on a lever 37 pivoted on and projecting through the stationary frame 10.

'Connected with the outer end of this lever is alink 38 which, in turn, is pivoted to a bell crank 39. On the latter is a pin operat, ing'the clutch 23. A spring40' normally holds the outer end of the bell crank down "and. the clutch disconnected but'this can only be done when the roller 36 is in the olfset 35.. The bell crank'39 has an operating handle41 by which it can be Worked.

The operation of the machine is controlled through a handle 42 mounted on a slide 43. This handle is capable of moving from its normal position shown in dotted lines at 42in Fig. 7 to two other positions.

designated 42 and 42 in that figure. This slide. 43has'an offset 44 which engages a surnects with the shaft 20 a gear 48 which passes through the frame 10 and drives a spur gear 49 inside. Thisgear 49 is mount- I ed to rotate on the shaft 30 and is provided with a sleeve or casing'50 which contains mechanism inside. It is providedwith an internal gear 51 meshing with a pinion 52 on 'a shaft 53. It will be obvious from an inspection of this gearing that it rotates at a much higher speed than the main shaft 30. This shaft 53 has bearings in the ends 31- which are fixed with respect to the shaft "30; Thus the rotation of the gear 51 rotates the gear 52 on its own axis at a higher speed even if the shaft 30 is rotating. The shaft 53 is provided with two brackets 54 having bearings, the whole being capable of turning'on the shaft 53 as a center. In the bearings there is a shaft 57 on which the cutting off saw 59 is mounted. On this shaft also is a gear 58 which constantly meshes with the gear 52 in all positions and therefore the saw 59. is rotated constantly when the clutch 22 is thrown. in. 'Integrally connected with, or otherwise fitted into, one of the brackets 54 is an arm 65. This is provided with a bend which swings on the inside circular surface of a cam 61 which is of general circular form and is located to oscillate in the frame'lOin a manner'thatwill be described. Thiscam has a notch 63 and the arm 65 has a tooth 64, the purpose of which is to provide for swinging the saw into an outer cutting position. A roller 66 on the arm 65 rotates on the inside surface of a stationary cam 68 7: locatedad acent to the oscillating cam 61. This stationary .cainhas a depression67 in whichthis roll will rest to withdraw the 7 saw from cutting position. A spring 7 O keeps the roll in this depression unless otherwise forced out of it It will be seen'therefore, that by the manipulationof the loam 61, that is, turning'it from its normalposition, this roll will beforced outwardly and the cutting saw moved while it is rotating into'the position shown in Figs. 2land 5 to cut through. the plate P. p

I will now describe the mechanism for operating the parts just described. On the side of the gear 28 there is a cam projection 71. As the gearrotatesthrough a complete revolution and comcsto the point of completing it, this projection engages a lever 72 having a beveled-end and moves it from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the left at the bottom and consequently to the right at the top. This lever is pivoted on a stud .72 carried 'on the casinglO and projects through it intov a position to normally engage the straight edge ofthe gear 28. WVhen the top of the lever moves to the right automatically in theman'ner specified, it carries with'it a rod 73 which is otherwise pressed, by a spring 74 into the'p'osition shown in Fig. 6. This draws this rod to the right in both Figs. 6 and 7 and the result is that it swings an arm 75 with it as it is pivoted to that arm. This withdraws a stop tooth 79 from the notch 80 in the operating slide 43 and allows a spring 76 to move this slide back to the position 42 indicated in Fig. 7..

It will be noted that this slide 43hasa slot 81 and through this slot projects a pin 82 which pin is mounted on the oscillating cam 61 and moves it with a lost motion as indicated by the length of the slot 81. A spring 83 mounted on a rod 84 normally forces this pin over as indicated in Fig. 7. The end of this rod 84 hasa bearing at the top of the pin 82. I have shown a guide 85 on the slide 43. r

The operation of the device is as follows: After the plate P is cooled it is pushed from the cooling stand, or otherwise placed,

.in the finishing machine by locating it on the projecting end of the shaving bar 18 and shoving it into the plate rest 11 with its slot at the bottom guided by the guide 12. It moves up against the stop 13 and is thereby positioned in place. All the shafts at this time are stopped with the exception of the V shaft 20. The operator now pushes the handle 42 in from the position 42 to the position 42 The first effect of this is'to more the lever 46 and force'in the clutch 22. T his starts the gear 48 to rotating and, by the mechanism above described, rotates the saw 59 but the saw at this time is not'in cuttlng position. The next operation is to push the I handle 42 further in to the position indicated,

, arm 65 forward and advances the arm 65 from the dotted to the full line position in Fig. 5. This swings the structure around so as to bring the rotating saw 59' into contact with the interior surface of the plate and causes it to commence to cut through the plate. This also lifts the roll 66 out of the depression 67 in the stationary cam 63 so that the whole structure can run on the aXis of the main shaft which before was prevented by the position of the roll 66 in that depression.

lVhen the handle 42 reached the position 42 as above indicated the latch 79 was forced into the notch 80 by the spring 81' automatically. After the saw 59 has reached its cutting position the handle 42 is held in the position 42 until the operator has pulled up on the handle 41 throwing the clutch into operation. This motion of raising the handle 41'and thus raising the long arm of a bell crank39 throws the roll 36 out of the notch in the cam 34 so as to permit of this cam rotating. In other words, the cam is unlocked and the clutch operating the shaft 30 started by the same means, that is, the lifting of the handle 41. Therefore, the shaft 30 carrying the shaver bar 18 starts to rotate and the shaving knife 32 and trim ming tooth 33 rotate togethen'while the i saw also rotates around with the usual planetarv motion. Thus, the tail is sawed off and the plate shaved and beveled.

When the shaver bar 18 starts torotatethe 7 spring 83 forces the pin 82 from the position it has occupied back to the full line position in Fig. 7 and the spring 7 6 forces the slide 43 back to its full line position. When the shaver bar 18 has completed one revolution, thus completely finishing the plate. the spring 40 automatically snaps 'the roll 36 into the notch 35 in the cam 34 and disengages the clutch 23, thus stopping the planetary rotation and the entire rotation of the main shaft 30. At 'the same time the projection 71 engages the lever 72, pulls the rod 73 back thus overcoming the action of'the spring 74 and withdrawing the tooth 79 from the notch 80. The spring 76 then immediately acts to force the slide 43 to the extreme lower position in Fig. 7, which is the posi- 2. In a having a limit stop thereon tion of the handle indicated in dotted lines at 42. This is the original and normal position when the machine is not: in action. This permits the spring 47 to withdraw the clutch 22 and stop the gear 48. This stops the rotation of the saw spindle. At the sametime the roller 66 is forced into the depression 67 in the cam 61- by the spring 70, and retractsthe saw so that it is no longer in contact with the plate. .1

The handle 16 is then moved down, drawing forward the slide 12. The projections 13 on the slide which engage the rear of the plate act to withdraw't-he plate out over the cutter bar 18 from which it is easily removed as the bracket 19 has a thin cross-section be low its bearing tO'DQlT-Olt of the platebeing drawn entirely out of the machine axially.

In this way, the operations are entirely automatic with the exception of the operation of two levers 42 and 41. The device is fool proof, for if these levers are operated in the wrong order no harm can result on ac-.'

invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to all the details herein shown and described but what I do claim is v r r 1. In a machine for. finishing tubular stereotype printing plates, the combination with a stationary cylindrical support for a plate, of a guide longitudinally located therein having means for engaging the opposite edges of the longitudinal space in the .105

plate and guiding it into proper position.

machine for finishing stereotype printing plates, the combination with a support for a plate, of a guide longitudinally located therein centrally at the bottom ofthe support for engaging the plate, said guide engaging the end ofthe plate. I

3. In a machine for finishing stereotype printing plates, the combination with a sup port for a plate, of a guidelongitudinally located therein for engaging theplate, saidv guide having a limit stop thereon engaging the end of the plate, and means for moving said guide to eject the plate. I 4. In a, machine for finishing tubular stereotype printing plates, the combination with a stationary cylindrical support for a .plate, of a guidelongitudinally located there-' in for engaging theplate, said guide being longitudinally reciprocable with the plate.

'5. In a machine for finishing tubular. stereotype printing; plate the combination with a stationary- Ecylindrical support for a plate, of a guide longitudinally located V therein for engaging the plate, a shaving knife shaftpassing through said support and rotatable thereirhand a shaving bar located on the shaft in position to move around'edgewise in :the support'for carrying a shaving knife. I

6. In a machine for finishing stereotype printing plates, the combination with a support for a late, of a longitudinal shaft for carrying finishing devices, a cam on the shaft having an offset pocket, and a movable stop adapted to engage in the pocket to lock the shaft in stationary position.

'7. In a machine for finishing stereotype printing plates, the combination with a support for a plate, of a longitudinal shaft for carrying' finishing devices, a circular track fined on and concentric with the shaft having a pocket, a lever having a roll thereon adapted to run on said track and enter the-pocket to lock the shaft, and a starting lever connected with the first named lever forwithdrawing the roll from the pocket shaft in stationary position, a starting lever connected with the stop for withdrawing it to "unlock the shaft, a clutch for connecting the shaft with a source of power,vand means connected withthe starting lever for throwing in the clutch when the stop is withdrawn.

* '9. In a machine for finishing stereotype printing plates, the combination with a support for a plate, of a longitudinal shaftfor carryingfinishing devices a clutch for connecting theshaft with a source of power, means for locking the shaft, a starting lever,

and means operated by the starting lever for unlocking.

the shaft and throwing in the clutch. V

10. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, the combination with the shaving knife shaft, of a clutch for connecting-it .with a source of power, a cam track rotat-able with the shaft having a pocket, and

, means whereby when the shaft has made a complete rotation the clutch will be thrown out automatically and introduced into the pocketfor locking the shaft against rotation.

11. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, the combination with the shaving knife shaft, of a clutch for connecting it with a source of power, a cam track rotatable with the shaft, and meanswhereby when the shaft has made a complete rotation the clutch will be thrown out automatically and the shaft locked.

12. In a machine for finishing stereotype printing plates, the combination with a support for a plate, of-a longitudinal shaft for carrying finishing devices, a wheel on said shaft for rotating it, a planetary saw shaft supported by the first named shaft, a' clutch forconnecting the saw shaft with a" source of power, and means on said wheel for carried thereby and movable'bodily out and a in, an outside and inside gear rotatable on the knife shaft, a clutch for connecting said gear with a source of power, a pinion meshin g with said inside gear to be driven thereby and having connections for rotating the saw shaft, a starting handle having means for throwing in said clutch, and means for automatically locking the handle in operative position. 7 i r a 15. In a stereotype plate finishing ma chine, the combination with a longitudinal shaving knife shaft, ofa s'aw shaft rotatably carriedv thereby and movable bodily out and in, a gear rotatable on the knife shaft, a clutch for connecting said gear with a source of power, a pinion meshing with said gear to be driven thereby and having con- I nections for rotating the saw shaft, a starting handle having means for throwing in said clutch, means for automatically lockmg the handle 1n operative position, means carried by the knife shaft for automatically unlocking the handle when the knife shaft has completed a revolution, and means for then restoring the handle to inoperative po-. sition. p 16. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, the combination with a longitudinal shaving knife shaft, of a saw shaft rotatably carried thereby and movable bodily out and in, a clutch for connecting the saw shaft with a source of power, a lever for operating the clutch, a movable starting handle having a cam surface, aspring for holding said lever in contactwith said handle in'the path of said cam surface, whereby the handle controls the position of the clutch, and automatic means for locking the starting handle in a position to hold the clutch closed.

17.In a stereotype plate finishing 'machine, the combination with a shaving knife shaft and a cutting off 'saw'shaft mounted to rotate with the shaving shaft and also to rotate on its own axis,fof a gear concentrically mounted on thevrshavlng shaft, means for driving said gear independently of the shaving shaft, a clutch for connecting said gear with a source of power, means carried.

18. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, the combination with a shaving knife shaft and a cutting ofi' saw shaft'mounted to rotate with the shaving shaft and also to rotate on its own axis, of means for driving said shaving shaft, a clutch for connecting said shaving shaft with a source of power, means for rotating the saw shaft on its own axis, a lever for operating the clutch, a starting handle adapted to hold said lever in position to close the clutch, and means for releasing said handle and allowing it to be drawn back to a position to open the clutch.

19. In astereotype plate finishing machine, the. combination with a shaving knife shaft and a saw shaft mounted to rotate therewith and to rotate on its own axis, a clutch adapted to connect the saw shaft with a source of power to rotate it independently of the shaving shaft, a lever for operating the clutch, a starting handle having a cam surface for operating said lever and provided with a tooth and a slot, means operated bythe shaving shaft for engaging "said tooth and locking the handle in a position to hold the clutch closed and for releasing it from that position, a spring for drawing the handle back to inoperative position when released, and means controlled by said slot for moving said saw shaft bodily into and out of operative position.

20. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, the combination with a shaving knife'shaft and a saw shaft movably mounted thereon and rotatable on its own axis, a starting handle having means for setting the saw shaft into rotation and provided with a slot, an oscillatable cam having a projection adapted to enter said slot and to be oscillated in one direction by contact with the end of the slot v bfc, sans carried by the shaving knife shaft for engaging said cam and controlling the motion of the sawshaft :into

and out of operative position.

21. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, the combination with a shaving knife shaft and a saw shaft parallel therewith and mounted thereon movably, of a stationary cam substantially concentric with said shaving knife shaft having a notch, a frame connected with the saw shaft-adapted to be oscillated to move the sawshaft into and out of operative positionand provided with a tooth adapted to engage, in said notch to lock the saw shaft in inoperative position, a roll on said frame, an oscillatable cam substantiallyconcentric with the first cam havmg a notch for receiving said roll and moving it by the oscillation of the, cam into and out of position to hold the saw shaft in position to saw through aplate, and means v for oscillating said cam. v r

22. In a stereotype plate finishing mashaft and saw shaftparallel therewith and mounted thereon movably, of a stationary chine, the combination with a shaving knife I cam substantially concentric with said shaving knife shaft having a: notch,'a frame connected with the saw shaft adapted to be oscillated to move the saw shaft into and out of operative position and provided'with a tooth adapted to engage in said notch to lock the saw shaft in inoperativeposition, a

starting handle, and. means controlled by the starting handle for moving said tooth out of the notch.

23. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype printing plates, the combination with a-stationary cylindrical support fora plate, ofa guide longitudinally located therein having means for engaging the op-' posite edges ofthe longitudinalspace in the platetto guide it into proper position, and a limit stoponsaid guide for contact with the end of the plate, v r Y 24. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype printing plates, the combination with a stationary cylindrical support for a plate, of a guide longitudinally located therein having means for engagingthe opposite edges of the longitudinal space in the plate and guiding it into proper positlon and also guiding it in removing it therefrom. 1

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 21fe y gnature. i. x p

HENRY, wisn woon; 

